Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 19 – And His Triphibian Atomicar

I

FIERCE TRIBESMEN

ED Longstreet shot a triumphant glance at Bud. “What time shall I meet you?” he asked the jewelry shop owner.

“At the hour of sunset.” The man salaamed.

“Hope the guy’s on the level,” Bud thought, after Ed bought a necklace and they left.

When Tom and Ames returned to the Sky Queen later that day, after making the rail-shipping arrangements, they found Bud and Ed waiting for them.

“I’m going to play detective,” Ed announced.

When he reported the bargain he had made with the jeweler, both Tom and Ames, like Bud, were dubious about the deal.

“Maybe I’m being unduly suspicious,” the security chief said with a frown, “but the whole thing sounds fishy to me. If there’s any secret about the source of those rubies, the persons in-127

128 TRIPHIBIAN ATOMICAR

volved aren’t likely to reveal it to a total stranger. For all they know, you might be a detective or police agent.”

“I agree,” Tom said. “This could be a trap.”

Ed, however, was so eager to go ahead that Tom reluctantly gave his okay to the arrangement. But he insisted that precautions be taken.

“Suppose we set up a stakeout,” Ames suggested. “The three of us will keep watch nearby when Ed meets this fellow, and then follow them.”

“Good idea, I guess,” Ed agreed.

All four taxied to the bazaar for a preliminary look at the scene of the rendezvous. Ed, an accomplished linguist who spoke Persian as well as several other languages, directed the driver to a certain public square which opened off from the bazaar.

“See that archway?” Bud said to Tom and Ames. He pointed to an opening in the arcade. “The jeweler’s booth is just a little way inside, to the right.”